Mitral regurgitation: How advanced technologies provide a glimmer of hope for patients

When 55-year-old Bimla, suffering from severe mitral regurgitation, a cardiovascular disease, faced difficulty in breathing while carrying her daily activities, she was advised to undergo a minimally invasive surgery. On her visit to the doctor, she was informed that due to the severity of the disease in her case, medicines were ineffective, and her heart had started dilating. The mitral regurgitation was treated with a clip that helped to treat the leaky valve. She stayed in the intensive care unit for a day and started walking the next day of the procedure.

Bimla is not alone as there are 54.5 billion people like her in India who are suffering from cardiovascular diseases. In fact, one in four deaths in India are due to CVDs. Out of all CVDs, diseases of the heart valves such as mitral regurgitation constitute a major cause of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in the country. Let us delve deep into the disease and know about the latest treatment options to manage its symptoms.

What is mitral regurgitation?

The heart has four valves that enable blood to flow in the correct direction. These valves are mitral valve, pulmonary valve, aortic valve, and tricuspid valve. During each heartbeat, valve flaps or leaflets open and close and sometimes when the valves do not open and close properly, it disrupts the blood flow through the heart to other parts of the body, making the person breathless or tired. When mitral regurgitation occurs, the valve between the upper left atrium and the lower left ventricle does not close tightly due to which the blood leaks backward into the left atrium.

Symptoms of this condition

Some people suffering from mitral regurgitation experience no symptoms for many years. These include abnormal heart sound heard through a stethoscope, shortness of breath, fatigue, heart palpitations and swollen feet or ankles. The disease is often mild and progresses slowly. In advanced stages of the disease, patient can develop symptoms of advanced heart failure or heart arrhythmias, where they need to sit at night to take a breath. The incidence of mitral regurgitation increases with age and it is seen in patients who have suffered heart attack and cardiomyopathy previously.

Managing mitral regurgitation with technological breakthroughs

Heart valve problems cannot be treated; however, symptoms can be managed with early diagnosis, timely medical intervention, and certain lifestyle changes. Therefore, when one experiences the symptoms of mitral regurgitation, they should visit a doctor at the earliest. The doctor will perform a physical examination including listening to the heart with a stethoscope. If the person has mitral regurgitation, the doctor will be able to hear a sound of blood leaking backward through the mitral valve or heart murmur. Based on these observations, tests such as echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, cardiac MRI and cardiac catherization will help in further diagnosis.

Why surgery may not be an option

Treatment and management of mitral regurgitation is subjected to the severity of the disease. In cases where there is a significant leakage, traditional open-heart surgery is recommended to repair or replace the valve. Even though traditional surgery is an effective way of managing mitral regurgitation, people above the age of 50 with a history of non-cardiac problems involving brain, kidney, or lungs are not suitable to undergo open-heart surgery.

Minimally invasive procedures: Safe and effective

Credit it to years of research done by healthcare experts, we now have minimally invasive procedures that eliminate the need of opening the heart and give patients a better quality of life. These procedures offer patients who are not eligible for conventional mitral valve surgery, a safe and effective treatment option. During the procedure, the doctor uses a needle stick to insert a small clip into a vein in the groin from where it is advanced to the right side of the heart. Then, across the septum, the clip is sent to the left side of the heart. The surgeon directs the clip to grasp the mitral valve leaflets under ultrasound guidance. The procedure entails shorter hospital stays, reduction in hospitalizations for heart failure, reduction in mitral regurgitation and improvement in symptoms.

The way forward

Besides medicines, surgical and minimally invasive procedures, adopting certain lifestyle measures can go a long way in managing mitral regurgitation symptoms. These include keeping your blood pressure under control, eating a heart-healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, moderate alcohol consumption, avoiding tobacco, getting regular physical activity, and seeing the doctor regularly.

We live times when technological breakthroughs are redefining healthcare, providing faster and simpler diagnostic and therapeutic solutions, and giving millions of patients an improved quality of life. A procedure that takes one to three hours and repairs a leaky valve with a clip, is certainly a boon to patients suffering from mitral regurgitation. From pacemakers that aid in detecting sleep apnea and occluders for fixing heart defects to now mitra clip, technological innovations in cardiac care are helping India fight its cardiovascular disease burden. There is a plethora of treatment options to help you and your loved ones manage mitral regurgitation. The only need of the hour is to spread awareness, be vigilant of any symptoms and visit the doctor for regular check-ups.

Source: | This article originally belongs to thehealthsite.com

Mitral regurgitation: How advanced technologies provide a glimmer of hope for patients

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Mitral regurgitation: How advanced technologies provide a glimmer of hope for patients

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